Classic Review: Gladiator (2000)

​“Gladiator” stars Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, and Richard Harris.  Released on May 5, 2000, the film has a Roman general becoming a gladiator to avenge his family and the emperor.

The film was directed by Ridley Scott, who also directed films such as “Alien”, “Legend”, “Black Hawk Down”, and “American Gangster”.  Nowadays, audiences are only entertained by their electronics, ranging from television to video games.  However, back in the good old days of Rome, the population had their form of entertainment that no other piece of electronic can capture, mainly because they weren’t invented yet.  That’s right, folks!  I’m talking about watching several people with armor plates and skirts kill the stuffing out of each other.  With the raw intensity and unrestrained violence, gladiator matches were the grand events that captured the crowd-cheering spectacles of the matchups way before modern sports like football took over.  Many years later, these historical battles had been recaptured by different types of media, like video games, television shows, and movies.  

One of them was Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning historical epic, “Gladiator”, a timeless tale of revenge and honor that elevated the careers of such actors as Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix.  While Scott has its share of misses in his filmography, it’s hard to ignore the filmmaker making a name for himself with his iconic classics that shaped the film industry for the better, especially the ones in the 2000s.  “Gladiator” was one of those classics, even though its storytelling and historical accuracy left critics divided when it was first released.  With its long-awaited sequel on the way, I decided to take the opportunity to watch this film for the first time and see what made it an entertaining epic.  With that said, let’s head into the arena and see if this cinematic classic is worthy of ruling over the film industry.  

The story occurs in 180 AD.  The Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) has recently led his army to victory against the Germanic tribes.  He is then approached by the country’s emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Harris), who informs Maximus that he wants him to become the next emperor to restore the Roman Republic.  This didn’t bode well for Marcus’s son, Commodus (Phoenix), who proceeded to murder his father and claim the throne for himself.  Commodus then executes Maximus’s wife and son when Maximus refuses his rule.  Now reduced to slavery, Maximus is forced to fight in local tournaments under the guidance of his gladiator trainer, Antonius Proximo (Reed).  As he gains popularity and rises through the ranks, Maximus seeks to avenge the murder of his family and the emperor and overthrow his false king.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first.  I had not seen “Gladiator” all the way through until today.  I’ve only seen a couple of clips from the film, including Crowe’s classic quote, “Are you not entertained?!” but that’s about it.  It was released during my childhood when I was only restricted to watching movies that were rated G or PG, so my interest in Ridley Scott didn’t surface until I watched “Prometheus” in 2012.  However, even though I was old enough to watch the director’s adult-rated material, I had not taken the opportunity to visit most of his older masterpieces, including “Gladiator”, save for “Alien” and “Blade Runner”.  Fortunately, with “Gladiator II” on the horizon, I decided to take advantage of this by watching “Gladiator” in its entirety, which is available on Paramount+ as of this writing.  Considering that Paramount and DreamWorks distributed the movies, this seemed like a no-brainer.

So, after my experience watching “Gladiator”, do I believe it still holds up to this day?  Yeah, it does.  Would I consider it a masterpiece like everyone else did?  Well, in a way, it’s undoubtedly one in its own right, but I wouldn’t say it’s one of my favorite movies from Ridley Scott.  While far from unique in its storytelling, “Gladiator” serves as another example of emotion and scale joining hand-in-hand to create a cinematic epic rich in visual grandeur and sublime entertainment.  Regarding its story, “Gladiator” is an old-fashioned tale of revenge, with Maximus avenging the deaths of those closest to him.  However, it also represents honor and freedom, both defining a true ruler.  Maximus was seen as a potential leader full of mercy and integrity capable of restoring political balance, which is why Marcus Aurelius chose him to succeed him.  Of course, he finds those traits tested when he’s forced to kill for survival in the arena.  As for Commodus, he’s seen as the opposite of Maximus, as his jealousy and obsession with power made him an unworthy emperor seeking to win people’s approval through manipulation and fear.  This hero/villain duo embodied both the good and bad of an inspired beacon of hope as they confronted each other not just with their swords but also their psyche.

Regarding the screenplay by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson, it offered pretty much everything you’d expect from a revenge action film set in 180 AD Rome, including its formulaic structure and blockbuster violence.  This was complicated by the script rewrites they had to endure, with one of the reasons being the unfortunate death of Oliver Reed before production was finished.  But, at the very least, their struggles led to them earning an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.  There’s also a matter of its runtime, clocking in at over two and a half hours long.  For a movie involving a general seeking revenge and “winning the crowd”, it was a bit draggy for me to endure, especially since it’s more dialogue-driven than action-packed.  However, I didn’t find myself bored with it, as its presentation and driving emotion elevated the spectacle of gladiators fighting and killing, even if some of the dialogue can be mid-tier.  Except for Crowe’s iconic quote, that one was pretty memorable.

One of the things I appreciate about Ridley Scott is his ability to convey a sense of grandeur and immersion, even within a somber atmosphere.  With the combination of practical effects, CGI, and real-life locations, Scott envisioned the rawness and authenticity of Rome as if we were seeing a portrait of history come to life.  Of course, it does fall into the category of historical movies with inaccuracies, a flaw that has plagued Scott’s other historical epic, “Napoleon”.  Thankfully, the inaccuracies in “Gladiator” were overshadowed by Scott’s visually dynamic appeal, balancing the grandness of the production design and cinematography with its grim tone and saturated color palette.  Even the action scenes directed by Scott were riveting, with the opening battle sequence being the highlight for its robust violence and tension, despite the shaky cam being slightly annoying.  Those elements were accompanied by the wonderfully striking music by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard, whose orchestrated tunes elevate the dramatic scale without overpowering it.  This is another movie that showcased Ridley Scott as a cinematic master whose visual scale speaks as loud as his narratives, even though some of his films are less effective than others.

Finally, we have its cast, whose performances were just as lavish and satisfying as a gladiator achieving victory over their opponents.  Russell Crowe delivered a grand performance that effectively combines Maximus’s honorability and goodwill with subtle rage, with the latter coming from Maximus battling internally not to lose his merciful self to vengeance.  Crowe has proven to be a charismatic actor showcasing physical prowess and appeal in most of his movies, but he’s also at his best when providing dimension and heart into characters like Maximus.  It’s no wonder he won an Oscar for his role.  Joaquin Phoenix was also excellent as the power-hungry Commodus, as his acting range reflected the villain’s internal conflict with maintaining his rule without sparking a riot himself.  I would also credit Richard Harris, aka Albus Dumbledore, for his brilliant portrayal of Marcus Aurelius, the former emperor of Rome.  While he’s only in the first act of the film, Harris’s scene with Crowe’s Maximus proved that a performance can shine even in the smallest of roles.  I also discovered that a young Djimon Hounsou was involved in the movie before he garnered my full attention in 2014.  He played Juba, another gladiator sold into slavery and Maximus’s closest ally.  Long story short, he was sublime with what he was given.

Overall, “Gladiator” delivers entertainment and spectacles that are as raw and visually engaging as an actual gladiator match.  When it comes to storytelling, its originality was buried beneath the sands by its formulaic and bloated narrative and grim tone.  However, the film is another example of utilizing its style, visual grandeur, and emotional core to elevate most of the narrative shortcomings.  As mentioned earlier, Ridley Scott is seen as a visual storyteller attempting to balance the seemingly straightforward plots with the splendor of the cinematic scales, gloomy atmospheres, action set pieces, and character-driven drama.  While most of his films aren’t as great as others, Scott has repeatedly proven that his presentation shines the most in balancing blockbuster aesthetics with an authentic and down-to-earth atmosphere, with “Gladiator” being one of those examples.  With its stellar cast, compelling direction, suitable screenplay, and outstanding technical aspects, the movie has enough bloodshed and appeal to entertain plenty of fans of Scott’s works.

B+